1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an image forming apparatus having functions of a printer, a scanner, facsimile apparatus, a copying apparatus, and the like, and their hybrid apparatus. The invention also relates to a control method and a control program for such an image forming apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
Hitherto, in an image forming apparatus and control for such an image forming apparatus, it is a main stream that a system is constructed on an execution environment which is realized by a real-time OS that is different from a general OS to be implemented in a PC (personal computer), is used for an assembling system, and largely depends on an architecture.
As disclosed in JP-A-2001-249814, there has been tried a method whereby another execution environment for the assembling system, for example, an execution environment such as Java (registered trademark) or the like is further constructed on the foregoing real-time OS and an application module having high transplant performance for making simple control of a copying apparatus is downloaded from the outside and implemented although it is limitative.
There has also been tried a method whereby a design construction of an operation panel of a copying apparatus is changed by changing a program for controlling an operation display screen which is displayed onto a touch panel or the like of the copying apparatus. In the conventional image forming apparatus and control method for such an image forming apparatus, a form such that a program which is executed in one of the execution environments occupies an operation unit is used in terms of a construction.
In an operation panel or a display panel provided for the image forming apparatus such as copying apparatus, printer, or the like, an effective display area is not so wide due to problems of costs and an electric power consumption. Even if a display unit having a relatively large display area is used at the sacrifice of the costs or the like, an amount of information to be displayed in the limited display area is increasing due to the realization of multifunctions of the recent image forming apparatus, so that an amount of information which can be displayed is limited as compared with the amount of information to be displayed.
In an image forming apparatus to which an application can be downloaded and added, for example, there are the following problems such that buttons (select keys) to select a plurality of applications are displayed on one operation display screen, the number of application select keys which can be added is fairly limited, it is necessary to miniaturize the existing buttons for selecting the applications in association with the addition of the applications, sufficient information to identify the applications cannot be displayed, and the like.
Further, in the conventional image forming apparatus and the control method for such an image forming apparatus, application modules on the first execution environment have been constructed in a manner such that they access a control module of the apparatus via the operation unit or provide some information via a network, respectively, so that there is a further problem of solving a problem such that the module which can use the operation unit is only the application module on the first execution environment or the application module on the second execution environment, and an application which uses the operation unit cannot be formed on each execution environment.